Effects of mutations in Drosophila nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits on sensitivity to insecticides targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Several strains of Drosophila melanogaster possess mutant alleles in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits, Dα1 and Dβ2 that confer resistance to neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid and nitenpyram, and Dα6, that confers resistance to spinosyns. These mutant strains were bioassayed with a selected set of nAChR active insecticides including neonicotinoids, spinosad, and sulfoxaflor, a new sulfoximine insecticide. All of the neonicotinoids examined, except dinotefuran showed reduced insecticidal efficacy on larvae of the Dα1 mutant, suggesting that this subunit may be important in the action of these insecticides. All of the neonicotinoids, including dinotefuran, showed reduced insecticidal efficacy on larvae possessing the Dβ2 mutation. A similar pattern of broad neonicotinoid resistance to that of Dβ2 alone was also observed for larvae with both the mutations (Dα1 + Dβ2). The Dβ2 mutation exhibited a lower level of cross-resistance to sulfoxaflor (<3-fold) than to any of the neonicotinoids (>13-fold). In contrast, there was no cross-resistance for any of the neonicotinoids or sulfoxaflor in adult flies with the Dα6 mutation, which confers high levels of resistance to spinosad. Thus in the D. melanogaster strains studied, target site resistance observed for the neonicotinoids and the spinosyns does not translate directly to resistance towards sulfoxaflor.     

A hundred and more years of plant protection in the Netherlands

At the occasion of the Centenary of the Netherlands Society of Plant Pathology a reflection on past, present and future of plant protection, the subject matter of the Society, was thought to be appropriate.Developments in plant protection are projected against a general stream of thought. Three turning points are distinguished which can be seen as paradigm changes. The first occurred around 1890, when the concept of pathogenitism gained its final victory over autogenitism. The second occurred around 1940, when the public outlook on human and plant health changed drastically due to the advent of chemotherapeutants. The third occurred around 1990 when a clear change in public thinking on agriculture, environment and plant protection became apparent. The background of these changes is sketched in a personal manner.Some ideas on plant protection beyond the year 2000 are given, based upon recent developments in the Netherlands to which the Society contributed in its own way.     

An advisory model for control of Puccinia recondita in winter wheat

Epidemics ofPuccinia recondita and resulting yield loss of winter wheat were studied in field experiments over three seasons in the Netherlands. Results are reported and used to construct an advisory model for control of brown rust, based on rust monitoring. If the fraction of leaves with rust (I) at a certain development stage is determined, the average number of rust sori per leaf (M) was estimated by: M=EXP(1.84+1.39ln(ln[1/(1-I)]). The final number of sori per leaf (Mf) at early dough was forecast by an exponential growth: Mf=M·EXP(RGR·t). The relative growth rate (RGR) averaged 0.163/day and the forecasting period, t, until early dough, was derived from published data. The forecast number of sori-days per leaf (S, AUDPC-value) was then obtained by: S=(Mf-M)/RGR. Yield loss (kg/ha) by brown rust was 1.15 times the number of sori-days per leaf at low rust intensities. The efficacy of the fungicides used was 85%. The forecast avoidable yield loss (L, kg/ha) was calculated by: L=0.85 (1.15 S). Economic thresholds for brown rust control at different development stages are given for Dutch wheat fields at a cost level of 270 kg/ha for one fungicide application.     

Application of pathogen surveys,disease nurseries and varietal resistance characteristics in an IPM approach for the control of wheat yellow rust

The present paper presents the rationale for the use of pathogen surveys, inoculated and non-inoculated disease nurseries and varietal resistance characteristics in an integrated approach to control wheat yellow rust in Denmark. The non-inoculated disease observation plots, which gave valuable information about yellow rust at the year, site and variety level, served as the primary sample source for the pathogen survey revealing pathogen virulence dynamics. This survey was also the main source for isolates of new pathotypes, a prerequisite for the assessment of the resistance characteristics of varieties and breeding lines in inoculated nurseries, and the postulation of race-specific resistance genes. A simple grouping of varieties into four categories with respect to resistance to the current yellow rust population proved robust, and this grouping was used as a determinant in a web-based decision support system for pesticide applications in cereals, Crop Protection On-line (CPO). The interplay between the different research and survey activities in the integrated pest management (IPM) approach demonstrated the need for a coherent and long-term involvement at all stages from plant breeding to the official variety approval system, extension service and research in disease epidemiology and resistance genetics.     

Control of seed-borne pathogens on legumes by microbial and other alternative seed treatments

Greenhouse trials were carried out in order to test the efficacy of different seed treatments as alternatives to chemicals against Colletotrichum lindemuthianum cause of anthracnose on bean and Ascochyta spp. cause of Ascochyta blights on pea, respectively. Resistance inducers, commercially formulated microorganisms, non-formulated selected strains of different microorganisms (fungi, bacteria and yeasts) and plant extracts were applied as dry or liquid seed treatments on naturally infested seeds. Seedling emergence and disease incidence and/or severity were recorded. Almost all seed treatments turned out to be ineffective in controlling the Ascochyta infections, which is in line with the literature stating that these pathogens are difficult to control. The only alternative treatments that gave some control of Ascochyta spp. were thyme oil and a strain of Clonostachys rosea. The resistance inducers tested successfully controlled infections of bean by C. lindemuthianum. Among the formulated microorganisms, Bacillus subtilis-based formulations provided the best protection from anthracnose. Some strains of Pseudomonas putida, a disease-suppressive, saprophytic strain of Fusarium oxysporum and the mustard powder-based product Tillecur also proved to be effective against bean anthracnose. However, among the resistance inducers as well as among the other groups, certain agents caused a significant reduction of plant emergence. Different alternative seed treatments can therefore be used for the control of C. lindemuthianum on bean, while on pea only thyme oil and a strain of Clonostachys rosea showed some effectiveness against Ascochyta spp.